Star Wars: The Clone Wars finale (alternate)
by Emperor Ferus
Summary: My take on the conclusion to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but with an alternate ending not tied to the movies.


Star Wars: The Clone Wars

"Siege of Mandalore"

"Siege! The renegade Sith Lord Darth Maul has returned to Mandalore with an army of loyal agents, behind the power of Prime Minister Almec.

Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker join Anakin's former Padawan Ahsoka Tano and the 501st Legion in defending the Republic stronghold from Maul's syndicate.

But General Grievous has launched an attack on Coruscant, kidnapping Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Now, Obi-Wan and Anakin must rescue the Chancellor, leaving Ahsoka to face Maul herself."

Ahsoka panted as Maul forced her backwards with every blow, his hateful yellow eyes piercing her.

Her twin green blades clashed against Maul's red lightsaber. It was almost time, Ahsoka thought.

Around the two duelists, the blue and white armored troopers were united as a team with Bo-Katan Kryze's Mandalorian warriors. The clones and Mandalorian allies exchanged fire with the red-and black armored Mandalorians who followed Maul and his puppet Almec.

Even with all her years of practice and training, Ahsoka was barely a match for Maul. She had fought Ventress and Grievous, but Maul was something else.

He may not have been a Sith Lord in name, but he was as strong with the dark side as Dooku himself. His hatred would overpower her soon, but Ahsoka had to keep fending him off.

"You'll meet your fate soon enough, Jedi brat," Maul snarled at Ahsoka as they dueled around the combating soldiers.

Bo-Katan and Captain Rex led the charge together, mowing down Maul's Death Watch traitors.

As the body count rose on both sides, Ahsoka shouted to Rex and Bo-Katan, "Any minute now!"

Rex turned his attention to the young Togruta and nodded.

Bo-Katan disengaged from the battle, rising into the air on her jetpack.

She continued to fire her pistols the Death Watch forces as she hovered towards a small generator on the side of the plaza square.

Rex dashed towards an identical generator, likewise maintaining his streaks of fire.

As Ahsoka swerved to the side to avoid Maul's blade of death, she wished Anakin was there to help. But he had another, more important job to do, and he had expressed his utmost faith in his former Padawan before departing.

_You can do this Snips, _he had told her, _Every mission, every battle, you have proven that you are ready. I know you can do it. _

Ahsoka wouldn't let him down, she told herself.

Sensing her thoughts, Maul smiled and taunted the young warrior.

"You know you cannot win without your masters here to protect you. Your confidence is shaken. You know you cannot resist my superior might."

Ahsoka quickly scanned the town square that now served as a de facto battle arena. She needed to wait until all Republic forces were safely out of the way...

The clone troopers and loyalist Mandalorians went on, pushing back the Death Watch soldiers. Some were airborne, some remained on their feet.

"I won't let you down, Master," Ahsoka muttered, determined to do Anakin proud.

"Where's Skywalker now, Tano?" Maul jeered, "How unfortunate that you are trapped here while he meets his doom."

"You don't know what you're talking about, horn-head!" Ahsoka snapped back at him, using one of her classic insults.

"Your precious master is walking into a trap," Maul continued, "The Sith Lord will ensnare him, and bend Skywalker to his will. I can feel it."

Ahsoka recoiled with a sudden jolt of horror as Maul's lips curled into a sinister grin. Did he know something she didn't, or was he toying with her the way Ventress always had?

It didn't matter at the moment, for Ahsoka suddenly sensed that Captain Rex was in danger.

She turned her head to find him surrounded by a small group of Death Watch commandos, still maintaining his post by the power generator built on the sidewalk.

His men were occupied and unable to help, Ahsoka realized.

She jumped away from Maul before he could anticipate her next move, and reached her hand towards the commandos.

She gave the men a shove with the Force, and the armored commandos flew away from Rex with a series of startled yells.

Rex looked to his friend and comrade, nodding in gratitude. "Thanks for the assist, Commander."

"Just doing my job, Captain," Ahsoka replied, returning his warm smile that indicated a bond that far outstripped that between military personnel.

As Rex continued to blast the enemy soliders, Ahsoka turned her attention back to Maul, who was charging at her on his metal legs to make up the ground between them.

She swung both her lightsabers in a circle, both blades meeting Maul's weapon as he raised a foot to kick her.

Ahsoka moved to dodge Maul's strike, but the renegade Sith was too fast. She stumbled to the side, briefly losing her balance.

"Commander!" Rex shouted.

Maul slashed at her to deal the fatal strike, before turning to deflect a blaster bolt coming at him from Captain Rex's blaster.

Maul reached for Rex with his fist, grabbing the clone officer and lifting him off the cement into the air.

"No!" Ahsoka charged at him, but Maul reached back with the hand clenching his lightsaber and used the Force to send Ahsoka flying backwards.

A hail of fire flew towards Maul from above, and he looked up to find Mandalorian leader Bo-Katan shooting at him.

Loosening his grip on Rex, Maul raised his weapon to block Bo-Katan's offensive.

Bo-Katan moved her airborne body out of the way as her laser bolts came flying back at her.

Ahsoka raised one of her lightsabers into the air and flicked her wrists, sending it flying at Maul's back.

Maul leapt out of the way, releasing Rex.

Ahsoka summoned her weapon back to her before Maul could grab it.

Ahsoka looked up and saluted to Bo-Katan, who smiled down at her and returned the gesture.

Ahsoka then repeated the exchange with Captain Rex, and Force-leapt back into the middle of the plaza.

With a yell of impatience, Maul raced after Ahsoka and swiped his blade after her.

"No more games, Jedi." It was time to finish this.

Ahsoka brought forth each of her lightsabers to repel Maul's ferocious attacks. He was in it for the kill now.

Bo-Katan aimed her blasters at the generator on her side of the street and fired.

Rex did the same for the other generator.

For a brief and horrific moment, time stopped.

Ahsoka closed her eyes, knowing it was now or never. She didn't need to prove that she was stronger than Maul, or a better fighter.

She just had to do her job as a protector of the Republic.

Ahsoka took a leap of faith, jumping out of the way onto the side of the town square.

Maul glared suspiciously after the girl, not expecting her to retreat.

Before he could make his next move, a ray shield sprung from the generators, enclosing the area around Maul.

With a beserk scream, Maul sprinted towards Ahsoka, slashing the edge of the energy shield with his lightsaber.

It was to no avail. He had been outsmarted by a teenage girl who wasn't even a fully trained Jedi.

Maul continued to slash and scream with rage as Ahsoka went to regroup with her allies. The crossfire around them was dying down as the remaining Death Watch commandos disappeared into the alleyways.

"That wasn't so bad, was it Commander?" Rex asked.

Ahsoka took a deep breath and exhaled in relief.

Dropping all professionalism, she flung her arms around Rex and sighed.

"I was worried for a while," she said, "I didn't think we could do it."

Rex returned the hug despite his militaristic nature. "We always get the job done," he replied, "turns out we didn't need General Skywalker this time."

Ahsoka backed away and closed her eyes again, trying to reach out to Anakin. Her elation at their victory was now replaced by a deep and unsettling fear.

"I don't know...I just have this feeling...Anakin might be in danger," Ahsoka said.

There he was, within Coruscant's system, flying side by side witn Obi-Wan in his ETA-2 Interceptor.

She envisioned him now, swerving around Republic and Separatist vessels, battling buzz droids and Confederate tri-fighters.

_"_Lock onto them, Artoo," Anakin was saying to his trusty astromech perched in the wing of his fighter.

Artoo indictated his agreement as Anakin said to Obi-Wan, "Master, Grievous's ship is directly ahead. The one crawling with vulture droids," he added with his usual contempt for the cyborg general.

"I see it," Obi-Wan replied with some good-natured irony, "Oh, this is going to be easy."

The vulture droids lifted off and swarmed towards the two Jedi fighters, firing at them by the dozen.

"Oddball, do you copy," Obi-Wan said to the clone pilot through his headset.

"Copy, Red Leader," came the reply.

"Mark my position, form your squad up behind me," Obi-Wan ordered.

"On your tail, Red Leader," Oddball replied. To his ARC pilots, he commanded, "Set S-Foils in attack position."

As the Republic and Separatist fighters met in the middle of the aireal battlefield, Anakin remarked, "This is where the fun begins."

"Let them pass between us," Obi-Wan said to his former Padawan, referring to the enemy ships.

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the ARC S-Foils opened fire as the vulture and buzz droids passed through their path. The enemy droids were coming in greater numbers by the second...

"They're all over me!" Oddball shouted as his fighter was swarmed by droids. His radio fizzled out a second later.

"I'm going to help him out," Anakin said as he swerved his Interceptor to the side, changing course.

"No!" Obi-Wan reprimanded, "they are doing their job so we can do ours."

A moment later, Oddball's ARC-170 fighter was struck by a jet of laserfire, causing its tail to burst into flames. Oddball grumbled as he struggled to remain in control of his spinning vehicle.

"Missles!" Anakin exclaimed as the vulture droids launched a volley of lethal counterfire at them. "Pull up!" he said to Artoo Deetoo, who beeped in alarm.

"They overshot us!" Obi-Wan said as the missles streaked past the two Jedi ships.

"They're coming around!" Anakin replied, spotting the danger behind them.

The missles chased Anakin and Obi-Wan around the Separatist vessels, up and down, left and right.

"Switch all power units, Artoo," Anakin said, "Reverse thrusters."

Artoo obeyed, and the yellow Interceptor began revolving as it continued to flee from the enemy missles.

The missles changed their pattern to better aim at Anakin's ship, colliding with one another in the process.

"We got them, Artoo," Anakin said light-heartedly as the missles exploded behind him.

Ahsoka opened her eyes, returning to the here and now.

"Doesn't look like anything they can't handle. It's only Grievous, and maybe Dooku at worst."

"General Skywalker's going to be fine," Rex replied, clapping Ahsoka on the back, "Nothing's going to catch him by surprise."

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was restrained at the wrist in the command chair of General Grievous' quarters.

Thoughtfully, he looked outside the _Invisible Hand _at the battle taking place. He knew that Skywalker and Kenobi were coming, he was not worried about perishing aboard Grievous' command ship. Nor was he worried about the threat of Count Dooku. The Jedi would see to that.

Sure enough, Anakin and Obi-Wan came into the dark, lonesome chamber within a few minutes, fresh from the ongoing dogfight outside.

Palpatine turned the general's chair around to face the two men as they approached. Other than the exchange of laserfire around the _Invisible Hand, _the vast chamber was quiet, almost gloomy.

"Chancellor," Obi-Wan said, bowing formally to Palpatine. The chancellor appeared very regal seated in the command chair, even while he was shackled.

"Are you all right?" Anakin asked his friend with concern.

The leader of the Republic looked towards the balcony above the two Jedi Knights. "Count Dooku," he said as the man in question entered, flanked by two Super Battle Droid guards.

Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to face their arch-enemy as he jumped down from the balcony onto the floor of Grievous's chamber.

Anticipating the fight to come, Obi-Wan muttered aside to Anakin, "This time we'll do it together."

"I was about to say that," Anakin replied. Like Obi-Wan, he remembered their first encounter with Dooku on Geonosis, and how miserably it had ended for both of them due to his impulsivity.

"Get help!" Palpatine said with apparent fear, "You're no match for him. He's a Sith Lord!"

Obi-Wan turned back to the chancellor and said with confidence, "Chancellor Palpatine, Sith Lords are our speciality."

He and Anakin threw their cloaks onto the floor in preparation for battle.

The caped Dooku approached the two Jedi Knights, greeting them with a characteristic facade of diplomacy.

"Your swords please," the Separatist leader said, "We don't want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor."

"You won't get away this time, Dooku," Obi-Wan replied, drawing his lightsaber.

He ignited his weapon's blue blade, followed by Anakin.

Anakin and Obi-Wan wasted no time as Dooku activated his curved lightsaber. They went in for the attack, swinging at Dooku as he retreated backwards.

Admittedly, Dooku had not expected this much strength from his foes. Yet he could not let them think they had the advantage.

Pushing their lightsabers away, Dooku grinned at Anakin and Obi-Wan and said, "I've been looking forward to this."

Yes, he would play on Skywalker's known overconfidence and use it to his advantage.

Anakin glowered at his opponent and replied, "My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Count."

"Good," Dooku said, "Twice the pride, double the fall."

The duel resumed, with Anakin and Obi-Wan pushing their attack.

Dooku decided that he had to isolate the two of them in order to gain the upper hand.

Raising a hand, he Force-pushed Obi-Wan backwards as he continued to clash blades with Anakin.

Growing angrier by the second, Anakin lashed out with more aggression, pursuing Dooku up the staircase leading to the balcony.

As Obi-Wan rushed up to join the younger Jedi, the battle droids raised their arms, firing on him with their built-in blasters.

Obi-Wan swatted aside the enemy fire with his lightsaber, cutting one droid in half as he climbed up to the top.

He lowered his blade towards Dooku as the Separatist leadwr continued dueling Anakin.

Dooku retreated from the Jedi, raising a hand and pushing Anakin backwards with a powerful Force shove. Anakin was knocked to the floor, his lightsaber flying out of reach.

Before Obi-Wan could maintain the offensive, Dooku used the Force to seize him by the throat.

Obi-Wan reached for his neck as he was lifted off the floor, struggling to breathe.

As he struggled, Dooku casually flung him off the balcony back onto the floor of Grievous's chamber.

After Obi-Wan landed on the ground, Dooku used the Force to move the gantry above him downward.

Obi-Wan remained motionless as the walkway crashed onto his body.

Dooku pivoted to face Anakin, who by this time had recovered and was running furiously at hin.

Anakin leapt at Dooku with a yell, filled with fury that had reached new heights.

He kicked at Dooku's chest, causing him to stumble and fall off the balcony before he could retain his balance.

Dooku landed on his feet, and Anakin jumped down to continue his attack.

The two of them clashed blades again and again as Anakin's anger forced Dooku backwards. His aggression was proving to be an advantage, slowly wearing down the aging Dooku.

They had reached the middle of the room, just in front of Palpatine's chair. Anakin swung with everything he had, determined to bring Dooku down once and for all.

Glaring his enemy dead in the eye, Anakin knew this final charge would make or break the battle. He would make it count.

Both Anakin and Dooku came forward with their blades, blue pushing against red. Anakin's hatred for the Sith Lord fueled his aggression as he pressed down with his lightsaber.

He lifted it from Dooku's blade and swung it downward, slicing through both of Dooku's wrists.

Now defenseless, Dooku dropped to his knees as Anakin caught the curved hilt of his weapon.

"Good, Anakin, good," Palpatine said, encouraging the young Jedi. He paused, staring directly at the defeated Dooku.

"Kill him," he ordered, savoring the moment with pleasure.

Anakin paused, looking down at Dooku. The fallen Sith Lord gazed at Palpatine with a look of surprise.

"Kill him now."

Anakin looked between the Supreme Chancellor and the helpless Dooku, whose neck was caught between both his own lightsaber blade and Anakin's.

"I shouldn't," Anakin said, "It's not the Jedi way."

Before Palpatine could reply, Dooku blurted out, "Skywalker, wait!"

Anakin looked down at his enemy with contempt.

"What?" he snapped.

"The chancellor! He's not who you think he is, he's a Sith Lord!"

Anakin glared at Dooku, certain he was lying.

"You fall to this level of nonsense in order to save your own life?"

"Do it!" Palpatine hissed, losing all patience.

Anakin hesitated once again, regarding Dooku with a newfound curiosity. "Why would you say such a thing, even you, Dooku?"

"I tried to tell Master Kenobi on Geonosis," Dooku uttered, now bound by no verbal restraint, "Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious."

The two lightsabers in Anakin's hands wavered ever so slightly as he paused to consider what the Count was saying. It couldn't be true, could it? Dooku was obviously lying...

No, Dooku had lied before, and Anakin had felt it. This...this was different.

"Kill him now, Anakin!" Palpatine shouted urgently, "That is an order! As your chancellor, I order you to end his life!"

Anakin said and did nothing, but continued to hold Dooku by the tips of the lightsabers that he was holding.

Dooku glanced frantically at Palpatine and said, "He's manipulated you from the beginning, Skywalker, just like he's manipulated both sides of the war. This has all been a plot to make him the permanent ruler of the galaxy. I'm afraid you and I both were pawns in Lord Sidious' game."

Anakin could not deny the sincerity in Dooku's words. He couldn't make himself disbelieve it entirely, however much he tried.

His entire friendship with Palpatine, all their conversations, all the personal things he's shared with the chancellor when he'd had no one else to turn to, had it all been a lie?

"KILL HIM NOW!" Palpatine screamed, now in a total state of panic.

Anakin turned slowly to face the Chancellor, and Palpatine knew that there was no more time. Everything was about to come undone unless he acted fast.

Before Anakin could ask any further questions, he was struck with a jolt of Sith lightning. Completely caught off guard, Anakin shouted with a burst of pain as his body was struck with jolts of dark energy. The lightsabers slipped from his grasp and he fell to the floor, writhing in sheer agony.


End file.
